--I deserve a rest!" She looked
extraordinarily excited and happy.

"Shall we drop you at the Pension Malfait?" said Madame Wachner amiably.
"It is right on our way home, you know. I, too, have made money--" she
chuckled joyously.

Madame Wachner left the two friends standing in the hall while she went
to look for her husband in the public gambling room, and as they stood
there Sylvia became conscious that they were being stared at with a great
deal of interest and curiosity. The news of Anna Wolsky's extraordinary
good luck had evidently spread.

"I wish I had come in a little earlier," said Sylvia presently. "I've
never seen you take the Bank before. Surely this is the first time you
have done so?"

"Yes, this is the first time I have ever been tempted to take the Bank at
Lacville. But somehow I suddenly felt as if I should be lucky to-night.
You see, I've made a good deal of money the last day or two, and Madame
Wachner persuaded me to try my luck."

"I wish you had told me you were thinking of taking the Bank."

"I would have told you," said Anna quietly, "if I had seen you to-day.
But I have been seeing very little of you lately, Sylvia. Why, you are
more with Madame Wachner than with me!"

She did not speak unkindly, but Sylvia felt a pang of remorse. She had
indeed seen very little of Anna Wolsky during the last few days, but that
was not because she had been with Madame Wachner.

"I will come and see you for a little while to-night," she said
impetuously, "for I am going to spend to-morrow in Paris--with a friend
who is there just now--"

She hurried out the half-truth with a curious feeling of guilt.

"Yes, do come!" cried Anna eagerly. "You can stay with me while the
carriage takes the Wachners on home, and then it can call for you on the
way back. I should not like you to walk to the Villa du Lac alone at this
time of night."

"Ah, but I'm not like you; I haven't won piles of money!" said Sylvia,
smiling.

"No, but that makes very little difference in a place like this--"

And then Monsieur and Madame Wachner joined them. L'Ami Fritz looked
quite moved out of himself. He seized Anna by the hand. "I congratulate
you!" he said heartily. "What a splendid thing to go on winning like
that. I wish I had been there, for I might have followed your luck!"

They all four walked out of the Casino. It was a very dark night.

"And what will you do with all that money?" Monsieur Wachner solicitously
inqu